connell



(No Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheet 1. i J. OONNELL.

CIGAR BUNOHING MACHINE. No. 450,959. Patented Apr. 21, 1891.

(No Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheet 2.

J. GONNBLL. CIGAR BUNGHING MAGHINE.

N0.-450,959. Patented Apr. 21, 1891.

(No Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheet 3.

J. GONNELL.

CIGAR BUNGHING MACHINE.

No. 450,959. Patented Apr 21, 1891.

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(No Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheet 4. J. CONNELL.

CIGAR BUNCHING MACHINE.

No. 450,959. Patented Apr. 21, 1891.

(No Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheet 5.

J. GONNELL.

CIGAR BUNGHING MACHINE.

No. 450,959. Patented Apr. 21, 1891.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES CONNELL, OF NOTTINGHAM, ENGLAND.

ClGAR-BUNCHING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 450,959, dated April 21, 1891.

Application filed August 16, 1890. Serial No. 362,207. (No model.)

To ail whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES CONNELL, a subject of the Queen of Great Britain and Ireland, residing at Nottingham, in England, have invented new and useful Improvements in Cigar-Bunching Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to cigar-bunching machines, and'has for its objects to provide novel means for producing the bight in the apron and operating the latter to roll a cigarbunch, to provide novel means for insuring the proper bight in the apron at the required moment and regulating the length of the fillers to be delivered into the bight, to provide novel means for mechanically supplying the tobacco to the bight in the apron, and, finally, to otherwise improve cigar-bunching machines. To accomplish all these objects my invention involves the features of construction and the combination or arrangement of devices hereinafter described and claimed, reference being made to the accompanying .drawings, in which Figure 1 is a front View of the machine, the receptacle for the bunch-binders being removed therefrom for sake of clearness. Fig. 2 is a plan of the same. Fig. 3 is a side View seen from the left. Fig. 4 is a section taken on the line 00 5c of Fig. 2 and seen from the right. Figs. 5, 6, and 7 represent the working-table, reciprocating frame, .bunching-roller, and apron in their different positions during the making of the bunch. Fig. 8 is a detail showing the working of the lever system which actuates the endless chain carrying the scoops or buckets.

The machine consists of a suitable framework (6, carrying, as usual, a platform or working-table 7), provided with an opening or recess c, and an apron (Z, working on such platform or table. The bu aching-roller c for rolling the bunch in the apron is in my machine the only working-roller employed.

f is the power-driven shaft, journaled in the frame of the machine, on which the pinion g, the fast and loose pulleys h 2', and the hanchwheelj are mounted, so that the machine can be driven either by power or by hand.

h is the drive-shaft, journaled in the frame of the machine, on which the spur-wheel Z, the star cam-wheel m, the clutchpieccs n n, the

sprocket-wheels 0 0, and the cams p j) p are mounted. This shaft 7.; receives its motion from the power-shaft f by means of the pinion g, gearing with the spur-wheel Z. The star cam-wheel m actuates the lever mechanism q q (1 Fig. 8, which operates the endless chain, belt, or band '7', carrying the scoops or buckets s. The clutch-pieces n n engage at certain moments with clutch-teeth t, Fig. 4:, on the outer faces of the sprocket-wheels 0 0' and turn these for a certain distance. Otherwise these sprocket-wheels are mounted loose on the shaft it. hen it is desired to disengage the clutch-teeth t of the wheels 0 0' from the clutch'pieces an, beveled proj eetions u a, Fig. 4:, also on the outer faceof the wheels 0 0, come into contact with beveled projections c t), Fig. 1, fastened to the frame-work a, and thus force the wheels 0 o inward and disengage the clutch-teeth if from the clutch-pieces n n, the wheels 0 0 being forced against the clutchpieces by the spiral springs to w, placed around the main shaft 7t. The cams p 1) p are keyed fast on the main shaft 7;. The cam p serves to operate the lever y, the frictionroller 2 of which bears against the said cam. This lever 31, which is under the influence of the spiral spring 0, communicates the necessary vertical reciprocating movement to the slide-plate a, to the upper part of which is fastened the rear end of the apron cl. This movement is communicated to the slide-plate a by the lever b, pivoted to the leveryand fastened to the bar or plate a. The camp serves to operate the lever 61', the friction roller e of which bears against the said cam. This lever (l' communicates the necessary vertical reciprocating movement to another bar or plate f which carries at each end an upright rod 9/, eachprovided with a pin 72 which engages with the forked ends of both the threearmed levers of the sliding frame of the working-table I), as hereinafter more fully described, the lever d being under the influence of the spiral spring i, and connected with the bar or plate f by means of the rod f The front ends of the levers y and d are pivoted to the vertical bar 00 fixed to the frame a. The cam 19 actuates the levers 7;. 73, which impart the necessary oscillating movement to an elevator-frame comprising the levers Z Z, pivoted at their lower ends on the shaft on, which imparts motion to the endless chain, belt, or band 7".

The levers 70 k are pivoted to the framework a at n and connected with one of the levers Z by the rod 0 Said levers are under the influence of the spiral spring 19 The working-table b is provided at each side with a guide (1 in which moves the reciprocating frames 4", to which are pivoted one arm of each of the three-armed levers 8'. These pivoted arms are forked and engage, when the sliding frame is at the rearward end of the table, with the pins h of the rods g, fixed to the bar or plate f-. Thesecond arms carry the bunching-roller e, and to the third arms are pivoted hooks t, to which are fastened the cables orchainsuiwhich pass over the sprocket-pinions o to the sprocket-wheels 0 o and are fastened thereto. These sprocketwheels, by means of the said chains, draw the sliding frames 0" with the bunching-roller forward over the working-table at the desired moment.

In a normal position of the different parts the bunching-rollcr 6 passes over the working-table in a straight linethat is, parallel to the front edge of the said tableand in this direction produces straight bunches. W'hen it is desired to produce tapering bunches, the apron d is fastened shorter on one side than on the other to the bar or plate a. In consequence of this the bunching-roller 6 will pass over the working-table at an angle to the front edge of the said table, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 2. This position of the bunchingroller is possible in consequence of the two sliding frames 0 which carry the roller e, acting independently of each other in the guides on the sides of the workingtable.

are two arms pivoted to the workingtable and provided with a cross-piece to which are fastened two wings or blades m 00 by means of set-screws passing through arcshaped slots 10 in lugs on the wings or blades, so that by these means the distance between the front ends of the wings can be adjusted at will to determine the length of the tiller to be used. The arms 20 are connected with the oscillating elevator frame or levers Z by means of a rod 3 pivoted to one of the arms 10 and passing through a friction-sleeve z, fixed to one of the levers Z, so that the wings forming the gage are actuated by the movement of the levers Z Z.

The front end of the apron (Z is fastened at a to the front of the table b and passes over this table and over the roller 6 to the reciprocating slide-plate a, to which the rear end of said apron is suitably fastened.

b is the feed-hopper, from which an inclined chute 0 extends forward into the trough d in which moves the lower end of the chain carrying the scoops or buckets.

e is awheel formed with four recesses and mounted on the spindle f in the feed-hopper. These recesses receive the tobacco for filling from the feed-hopper and carry it forward to and deliver it into the buckets or scoops s, which carry it to the bight of the apron. The spindle f, with its wheel e is caused to revolve by means of an endless cord 9 passing over a grooved pulley 72 mounted on said spindle, and over another grooved pulley mounted on the spindle m. This wheel 6 can be changed for another having larger or smaller recesses, so 'that the quantity of tobacco delivered from the feedhopper to the buckets may be regulated according to the size of the bunch it is desired to produce. In front this feed-hopper is provided with a slide or shutter 3' which is raised when it is desired to deliver tobacco from the feed-hopper to the buckets, but lowered when it is desired to run the machine without delivering any filling tobacco. Onto the inclined chute c is fastened a flap or piece of leather or other suitable material k against which the buckets strike in their upward movement, so that any surplus tobacco at the top of the buckets may be removed therefrom and fall back into the trough (1 from which it is taken up by the next empty bucket in its upward travel.

The endless chain 1 consists of sixteen plates (or other multiple of four) hinged together, to which in this case are fastened the four buckets or scoops s-that is to say, one bucket or scoop to every fourth plate. The chain passes over two blocks Z of square section, one mounted on the spindle m, the other on the spindle m and is intermittently operated by the levers q q Q2, Fig. 8. The friction-roller n of these levers bears against the star cam-wheel 'm, which, having four teeth or cams, imparts to the said levers four oscillating motions during one revolution of the main shaft 7a. At the end of the lever 6 is a pawl 0 which engages with the ratchetteeth of a disk p mounted 011 the spindle m, and this disk having only four teeth the endless chain is moved for the space of four plates during each revolution of the main shaft 7t-that is to say, during each revolution of the shaft is a fresh-filled bucket is brought into position to be delivered to the bight of the apron. Behind the disk pis mounted on the same spindle another disk 5*, having four notches corresponding with the ratchet-teeth of the disk 19 in which notches engages a tooth fixed to or forming part of a spring 1 suitably fixed to the frame of the machine for the purpose of preventing the disk 19 being turned more than a quarter of a revolution at one time.

r is a sliding bar, to which is fixed a fork s for the purpose of shifting the drivingbelton or off the fast or loose pulleys h 'i. This bar r which is under the influence of a spiral spring U is moved by means of a chain passing over a grooved pulley 10 to the treadle T, which can be depressed by the foot of the operative.

The working is as follows: Suppose the ing over the bight of the apron d and after having delivered the filling tobacco into the said bight; also that the arms 20 with the gate -wings 00, have in this position been moved downward so that the wings have pressed the apron down into the recess a of the working-table to form the necessary bight therein. Now during the partial revolution of the main shaft 7.: the cam 19 Fig. 3, will turn and allow the spiral spring 11 to draw the levers 7; k into the position indicated in dotted lines, so as to bring the levers Z Z, with the chain and buckets, into a nearly vertical position, as shown in Fig. 5. This movement of the levers will cause the wings a? to move upward out of the bight of the apron and sufficiently high for the bunchingroller e to pass under the said wings. The cam p will then raise the lever cland by means of this the arm f fixed to the bar or plate f, will raise the latter so that the pins h, engaging in the forks of the three-armed levers s, will lift these forks and cause said levers s to turn about their pivot. This motion of the levers .9 brings the roller 6 from its position behind the bight of the apron to the front of the same, as shown in Fig. 5. The lever y will nowdepress the lever b and at the same time the bar or plate a, to which the end of the apron is fastened, thus tightening said apron and causing the filling tobacco contained therein to be drawn up close to the roller 6. At this moment the clutchteeth 25 of the sprocket-wheels 0 0', which hitherto had remained stationary, will engage with the corresponding recesses in the revolving clutch-pieces n n, which will now cause the said sprocket-wheels to revolve with them. This movement of the sprocketwheels will cause the chains u u, fixed thereto, to wind on the said sprocket-wheels, and the chains a a passing over the sprocketpinions o o to the hooks 25, will cause the sliding frame 0* to move forward, the bunching-roller passing over the working-table in the direction and manner shown in Fig. 6, the filler being rolled during this movement in the fold of the apron behind the roller. During this forward movement of the roller the binder which had previously been placed by the operative on the apron in front of the roller 6 will be caught and taken up by the fold of the apron containing the rolled filler and will be wrapped around this filler during the further forward movement of the roller e for the purpose of forming the bunch. \Vhen the roller has reached its foremost position, it will extend somewhat over the front edge of the working-table b, Fig. 7, and the ready and finished bunch x will be delivered out of the bight of the apron into a spring-holder p of usual construction, fixed to the front end of the table, Fig. '7. From this holder the bunch is either passed on to another operative for the purpose of placing the wrapper around it or it is placed into a mold, as usual. The beveled projection u of the sprocket-wheels 0 0 has by this time reached the beveled projectionsm o, fixed to the frame-work, and under their influence the said sprocket-wheels are thrown out of gear from the clutch-pieces n a. As soon as the sprocket-wheels are free to revolve, the sliding frame 9", with the three-armed levers s and the roller 6, is returned into the position shown in Fig. 5 bymeaus of the weights V, connected with the said slide-frame by cords or chains a a passing over grooved pulleys .2 .2 mounted on the sides of the work ing-table b. The lever (1 now lowers the arm f andwvith this the bar or plate f thus causing the three-armed levers s to turn upon their centers and return the roller 6 into the position shown in Fig. 4that is, behind the recess 0 of the working-table. The lever g has meanwhile raised the arm b and with itthe bar or plate a, to which is fixed the rear end of the apron. The levers Z Z, with the chain and its buckets, now move forward together with the wings :0, which pass down and form the bight in the apron, Fig. 4, and the machine is ready to begin the same operation again.

' Having now described my invention, 1'

claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. The combination, in a cigar-bunching machine, of a recessed table, sliding frames thereupon, means for reciprocating the sliding frames on the table, a vertically-reciprocating slide-plate, an apron connected at. one end with the slide-plate and at the opposite end with the table and adapted to enter the recess in the latter to form a bight, oscillating levers pivoted to and moving with the sliding frames and carrying a bunching-roller, mechanism for swinging the oscillating levers while the sliding frames remain stationary to place the bunching-roller in advance of the bight in the apron, and means for operating the sliding plate to tighten the apron after the oscillating levers have been swung to place the bunching-roller in advance of the bight in the apron, substantially as described.

2. The combination, in a cigar-bunching machine, of a recessed table, sliding frames thereupon, means for reciprocating the sliding frames on the table, a vertically-reciprocating slide-plate, an apron connected at one end with the slide-plate and at the opposite end with the table and adapted to enter the recess in the latter to form a bight, oscillating levers pivotally attached to and moving with the sliding frames and carrying a bunching-roller, a vertically-movable bar or plate adapted to act upon a part of the oscillating levers, mechanism for operating the bar or plate to raise the latter and thereby swing the oscillating levers to place the bunchingroller in advance of the bight in the apron, and mechanism for operating the slide-plate to tighten the apron after the oscillating le- IIO vers have swung to place the bunching-roller in advance of the bight in the apron, substantially as described.

3. The combination, in a cigar-bnnching machine, of a recessed table, sliding frames thereupon, means for reciprocating the sliding frames on the table, a vertically-reciprocating slide-plate, an apron connected at one end with the slide-plate and at the opposite end to the table and adapted to enter the recess in the latter to form a bight, oscillating levers pivotally connected to and moving with the sliding frames and carrying a bunching-roller, a vertically-movable bar or plate adapted to operate on a part of the oscillating levers, a drive-shaft, devices actuated by the drive-shaft to swing the oscillating levers and thereby place the bunching roller in advance of the bight in the apron, and devices also actuated by the drive-shaft to move the slide-plate and thereby tighten the apron after the oscillating levers have been swung to place the bunching-roller in advance of the bight in the apron, substantially as described.

4. The combination, in a cigar-bunching machine, of a recessed table, sliding frames, an apron adapted to'enter the recess in the table to form a bight, oscillating levers piv otally connected with the sliding frames and carrying a bunching-roller which extends beneath the apron, a drive-shaft, devices operated by the drive-shaft for swinging the osapron, means for operating the apron to form a cigar-bunch, an oscillating elevator-frame having an endless chain or band carrying buckets or scoops, means for imparting the required movement to the endless chain or band, swinging arms provided with gagewings having a cross-piece and adapted to press the apron into the recess of the table, and connections between the oscillating frame and the wing-carrying arms, substantially as described.

6. The combination, with a table, an apron, and means for operating the apron to form a bight therein and roll a cigar-bunch, of swing ing arms carrying gage-wings, having a crosspiece and serving to direct the tobacco into the bight of the apron, and an oscillating elevator-frame having elevating mechanism and connected with and actuating the wing-carrying arms, substantially as described.

7. The combination, with a table, an apron, and means for operating the apron to form a bight therein and roll a cigar-bunch, of swinging arms carrying gage-wings, having a crosspiece and serving to direct the tobacco into the bightof the apron,an oscillating elevatorframe having elevator mechanism and connected with the swinging arms, a rotary drlveshaft having a cam, and a pivoted lever oper-' ated by the cam and connected with the elevator-frame for swinging the latter, substantially as described.

8. The combination, with a table, an apron, and means for operating the apron to form a bight therein and roll a cigar-bunch, of swinging arms carrying gage-wings, having a crosspiece and serving to direct the tobacco into the bight of the apron, pivoted levers Z, connected with the swinging arms, a rotary driveshaft provided with a cam, a lever 7s, connected with the pivoted levers and operated by the cam, and a spring 13 pressing the camactuated lever against said cam, substantially as described.

9. The combination, with a table, an apron, and means for operating the apron to form a bight therein and roll a cigar-bunch, of swinging arms carrying gage-wings, having a crosspiece and serving to direct the tobacco into thebight of the apron, an oscillating elevator-frame, an intermittently moving endless chain or band carried by the elevator-frame and provided with buckets or scoops for lifting the tobacco and discharging it at intervals between the gage-wings, and connections between the elevator-frame and the wing-carrying arms for oscillating the latter by the swinging movement of the elevator-frame, substantiallyas described.

10. The co mbination,with a table, an apron,

and means for operating the apron to form a bight therein and roll a cigar-bunch, of swinging arms carrying gage-Win gs, having a crosspiece and serving to direct the tobacco into the bight of the apron, oscillating levers Z, provided with a friction-sleeve z, and a rod 3 secured to one of the wing-carrying arms and extending through the friction-sleeve, substantially as described.

11. The combination of a table, a slideplate, an apron connected at one end with the slide-plate, sliding frames moving on the table, oscillating levers pivotally connected with the sliding frames and carrying abunching-roller which extends beneath the apron, means for swinging the oscillating levers to place the bunching-roller in advance of a bight suitably formed in the apron, a rotary drive shaft provided with loose sprocketwheels, automatically-operated clutch mechanism for engaging the sprocket-wheels with and disengaging them from the rotary driveshaft, and cables or chains connecting the sprocket-wheels with the oscillating levers on the sliding frame, substantially as described.

12. The combination of a table, a slideplate, an apron connected at one end with the table and at the opposite end with the slideplate, sliding frames moving on the table, oscillating levers pivotally connected with the table and carrying a bunching-roller and pivoted hooks, a rotary drive-shaft provided with loose sprocket-wheels, clutch mechanism for IIO . V V l engaging the sprocket-Wheels With and disengaging them from the rotary driveshaft, cables or chains connecting the sprocketwheels with the pivoted hooks on the oscillating levers, and devices operated by the driveshaft for swinging the oscillating levers and operatingthe slide-plate, substantially as described.

13. The combination, in a cigar-bunching' machine, of a table, an apron, means for op erating the apron to form a bight therein and roll a cigar-bunch, an intermittently-moving series of buckets or scoops for lifting and discharging at intervals the tobacco required for the cigar-fillers, a rotary drive-shaft, and mechanism operated by the drive-shaft for imparting an intermittent motion to the series of buckets or scoops, substantially as described.

Vitnesses:

ERNEST DE PASS, II. WEBSTER, Both of (3 Victoria Street, Nottinghcmz. 

